


build towers from the bones of giants

by sapphfics



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Road Trips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-03-04 14:34:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13366749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphfics/pseuds/sapphfics
Summary: Gwen stares at her phone and wonders if there’s any way of telling her flatmates that she’s on the run with a billionaire and convicted criminal who might have murdered her brother but it’s okay because she’s super hot and hasn’t tried to hurt her without them freaking out. Probably not.





	build towers from the bones of giants

**Author's Note:**

> *dives headfirst into this fandom with this au*

Arthur Pendragon’s funeral is held a week before Christmas Eve, broadcast across the entire country.

It’s only a year after the incredibly extravagant funeral his father had - that one was televised, to, and the attendance was so large that it was as if the entire country came to pay their respects to a man who almost drowned his own children with the debt he left - but the only person in attendance to Arthur's funeral is his sister, and Gwen thinks that’s sad. He was so young, he had so much potential to fix the mess his father dragged the company into, and he barely made it a month as CEO before someone stabbed him in some dark alleyway in November.

It’s all rather tragic, really. The kind of story Gwen’s father would switch off lest it frighten her.

The miserable affair is topped off with the deceased’s sister, Morgana, giving a speech to what seems like hundreds of cameras. Her lips are the colour of blood and her eyes are red-rimmed, and Gwen's impressed she makes it through without breaking down.

Gwen watches it all from her tiny flat and tries not to roll her eyes at the sheer absurdity that so many people are all interested in covering some billionaires’ funeral. Must be a very slow news day. Or maybe they’re just happy he’s dead.

"The king is dead," Gwaine says, laughing even though it's not particularly funny. “Long live the -”

“Please, don’t finish that sentence,” The door squeaks open as Merlin comes back from his shift at the supermarket. He looks exhausted, as always, because Gwen's never seen him sleep through the night and she's known him for years.

"He's really gone," Merlin says, as though he has just lost someone irreplaceable. He looks to the television just as they recap lowering the body into the ground, and then he looks to Gwen, and takes a shaky breath. "Do you mind turning it off?"

"Are you okay?" Gwen asks.

"I'm fine," Merlin says, trying to smile and failing. He’s never been a good liar. "I just...really can't stand funerals, you know. Especially after Mum."

"Let's put on something more cheerful then, shall we?" Gwaine says, patting a space on the couch for Merlin to sit down. She grabs the television control, only hoping they’ve stopped broadcasting the funeral everywhere. Gwaine goes to the kitchen and comes back with yet another bowl of marshmallows, possibly the last edible thing they own, and chucks one at her. She catches it between her teeth.

They end up watching some movie about talking dogs who become super-heroes.

The end credits are rolling just as Kilgharrah comes home from one of his awful motivational speeches, and she finds that Merlin has fallen asleep whilst staring at his plate of beans on toast. She doesn't try to wake him.

No one mentions the fact that you can still make out where he died, can even see his blood where it stains the street without so much as a magnifying glass.

//

The morning after New Years Eve, a talk show host who sounds a bit like the long lost brother of Alvin and the Chipmunks claims that Morgana clearly murdered Arthur to get his share of the company. It’s the first thing Gwen hears when she wakes up on the floor, covered in leftover tinsel, and starts the day by (accidentally) kicking Kilgharrah in the face.

“Hang on...so he actually thinks Morgana killed her own brother?” She pinches herself. “Am I dreaming?”

“Well, I don’t know,” mumbles Kilgharrah, clutching his head. “Do you often dream of rich people committing fratricide? Or did you just always want to kick me in the face?”

“Maybe a bit of both,” Gwen admits, making herself stand up when she notices the time. She stretches, yawning, and counts the money in her purse. She grabs the list of shopping from the fridge door, and it’s long enough to reach the floor. “Well, I have to go. The shops will be open soon, and our fridge is empty yet again, in case you haven’t noticed.”

“I did, actually, but I got distracted practising my speech,” Kilgharrah explains.

“Yeah, and it’s a miracle you didn’t break the wall considering the amount of times you punched it.” Gwen says. “Why did you do that, anyway?”

“Dramatic effect, obviously.”

Gwen sighs.

//

As soon as Gwen makes it onto the semi abandoned looking road, Morgana sits up in the backseat and Gwen screams.

“What the fuck are you -“

“That’s not important,” Morgana says as though Gwen were asking what the time was and not how she had both escaped prison and broke into her car. “What is important is that I’m innocent, and I need a place to stay until I can get enough evidence.”

Gwen slams her foot down on the breaks and pulls over, turning to face her. “And...you thought you could stay with me? I don’t even know you!”

“Well, I was hoping…” Morgan trails off. “My family has quite a lot of money, and I need to get to my sister’s house and your car was right here so I…”

Gwen thinks it over for a moment. Money means Merlin can quit his terrible job, money means they can afford food and a decent place to live. Maybe it’s worth helping a criminal.

“Ok, fine, I’ll help you.” Gwen swallows. “Long as you promise not to murder me.”

“Why would I murder the only person in the world willing to help me?” Morgana shifts down in her seat, avoiding the windows. “Thank you, uh - sorry, I don’t know your name. I suppose I could’ve checked your glove box, but that would’ve just -“

“I’m Gwen,” Gwen tells her, and she wonders if she’s dreaming. She must be. This can’t be real.

She shuts her eyes and doesn’t wake up.

//

Making small talk with a convicted criminal isn’t as easy as some films make it out to be, but Gwen tries her best as she always has.

“Why couldn’t your lawyers get you this evidence, anyway?” Gwen asks. “Aren’t millionaires supposed to have the best solicitors ever?”

“They worked for my father, and wanted my share of the company,” Morgana explains. “They didn’t think a girl could handle it.”

“Oh,” Gwen says. “I’m sorry. They sound like assholes.”

“They were,” Morgana agrees. “My father was the worst of the lot. When Arthur’s mother died….I think all of his goodness must’ve died with her.”

Gwen buys her a bouquet of flowers in a service station. It’s the first time Morgana ever smiles at her and she feels herself smiling back.

//

Gwen stares at her phone and wonders if there’s any way of telling her flatmates that she’s on the run with a billionaire and convicted criminal who might have murdered her brother but it’s okay because she’s super hot and hasn’t tried to hurt her without them freaking out. Probably not.

"Where does your sister live, anyway?” Gwen realises she never asked.

“A few hours north,” Morgana grins. “I used to call it Camelot. She lives in a castle with woods that stretch for as far as the eye can see.”

The perfect place to hide a body, Gwen thinks and almost shudders.

She looks at Morgana again, really looks at her. Does she truly believe her story?

 _It doesn’t matter,_ She reminders herself. _I want to believe her. I have to believe her._

**Author's Note:**

> needed this out of my googledocs and out of my head, sorry if it sucks! 
> 
> comment if you liked it i guess? <3


End file.
